February 21, 2010 - Westlake Village, CA - Triunfo YMCA has announced the return of Soap Box Derby and Healthy Kids Day in Westlake Village. Sponsored by the City of Westlake Village, Farmers Insurance, and others, the event is set for Sunday, April 18th, 2010.

The Soap Box Derby is being held alongside Healthy Kids Day, with an Antique and Classic Car Show, and "family fun day" with a BBQ.

These are real Soap Box Car races (e.g., cars the kids ride inside unlike Pinewood Derby). The race is for kids from 7-17, and this year again is open to all in the area to participate. In prior years, there were as many as 125 kids registered to race, and a race was completed every 1.8 minutes for 4+ hours.

Everyone is invited to attend, and the community is invited to participate as well in both the Soap Box Derby as well as the car show.

Learn to fly fish by attending the free Casting School classes and campout presented by Sierra Pacific Fly Fishers and merit badge counselor Rob Kassan (Troop 485). These classes are open to all Scouts, adults and friends.

Dates and Times:

Saturday, March 20, 2010 @ 8:30 am - Registration and Orientation

Saturday, April 3, 2010 @ 8:30 am - Late Registration and Class #1

Saturday, April 10, 2010 @ 9:00 am - Class #2

Saturday, April 17, 2010 @ 9:00 am - Class #3*

April 30 to May 2 - Graduation and Fly Fishing Trip, Owens River

Registration and classes are held at Reseda High School (18230 Kittridge St., Reseda, CA 91335). Enter the parking lot from Kittridge. Look for the Sierra Pacific Flyfishers banner. Park, then walk to the auditorium. Please be on time.

*For those attending Las Colinas Camporee on April 17, there will be a make-up class for this session - date TBA

You will cover all ten requirements for the badge with the instructors and adult leaders, learn to fly fish, enjoy the outdoors, and be able to go on a great camping-fishing weekend. Many of the requirements are also requirements of the Fishing merit badge. You can work on the two badges simultaneously. Don’t have your own gear? No worries - fly fishing and fishing equipment is available to borrow.

RSVP to Dr. Rob Kassan at rkassan@smbp.com or call him for more information at (818) 735-0398

Saturday, February 13, 2010

The Boy Scouts of America Centennial Commemorative Coin Act (Public Law 110-363), signed into law on October 8, 2008, authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 350,000 silver dollar coins in commemoration of the centennial anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. As authorized, the United States Mint will produce silver dollar coins in proof and uncirculated qualities.

Surcharges from this commemorative coin program are authorized to be paid to the National Boy Scouts of America Foundation, which will make funds available to local councils in the form of grants for the extension of scouting in hard-to-serve areas.

We expect this limited quantity of coins to sell fast! While orders cannot be placed in advance, beginning at noon (ET) on March 23, 2010 orders can be placed through the United States Mint at www.usmint.gov or at (800) USA-MINT.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

The Boy Scouts of America is proud to announce that we will be a featured category on the February 25 episode of Jeopardy!. This is a tremendous opportunity to extend our brand footprint to a nationally televised audience during our 100-year celebration.

Jeopardy! has been the top-rated television game show for several years. Having the opportunity to align our brand and movement with such a highly visible platform is strategically sound and organizationally exciting.

Be sure to stay tuned for the entire show, including the commercial breaks, because the BSA will be spotlighted during the first or second commercial break.

Brand Management would like to thank Scout Executive Jim Martin and the staff at the Golden Empire Council for supporting this effort.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

G.W. (Bill) Hunt passed away yesterday in Santa Cruz with daughter Catherine and son John at his bedside. Bill was 82 and a member of our Scout Executive Board for many years. He was a long-time Scoutmaster for Troop One in Santa Monica after resurrecting it in about 1961. He was awarded the Silver Beaver and was Council Commissioner. Bill was truly the spirit and financial muscle behind the Josepho Pool, completed in 1991. In addition to his daughter and son, Bill leaves behind daughter-in-law Teresa Clayton, two grandchildren (Meghan and Rylan), and son-in-law Tom Alspach. As a Past President of the Rotary Club of Santa Monica he entertained often with his quick wit and "Boom Bass" music. He will be truly missed.

Kent Colberg

Bill was an incredibly warm and positive guy, and always had a joke, and a good one. His Scouting trademark was the Baden Powell full brim hat and Scout staff, and he was large enough to be BP. But he was larger in life, particularly in his lifelong support of Camp Josepho, the pool and pool house and his tireless fundraising for those projects.

In later years, he often attended St. Matthews in Pacific Palisades, always asked me about the Council and Troop and always had a word of encouragement and a positive suggestion for the cause.

Monday, February 8, 2010

To All Scout Leaders, it's time for us to have a little fun. It's time again for our Adult Leader fishing trip. We are doing an overnight ocean fishing trip to the outer Channel Islands. We will be fishing on the Pacific Islander, one of the best overnight fishing boats around. Boat leaves on Saturday night April 10th at 10:00pm and we fish on Sunday. Everyone will have their own individual bunks with blankets and pillows included.

We will be fishing for bottom fish and anything else that may be around. This is the best time to fish since January and February are closed to fishing and April 1st is the opening of Ling Cod season - and there are a lot of big ones out there who can't wait to go home with you! If you've never gone ocean fishing before this is the perfect trip - we guarantee you will catch fish!!!

This trip is for those Scout leaders and parents 18 years or older. If you have a friend who wants to go with you that will be OK based on space available. This trip sells out each year, if you want to go send in your money quickly to guarantee your spot. Glenn and I are only taking limited load of 25 22 on this large boat so there is lots of room to fish. Price is only $150 $135 which includes $10 towards your galley tab. First-paid first-fishing, get your money in ASAP to reserve your spot. Rod rentals and fishing licenses are available at the boat, but it is a good idea to pick up your license locally, sometimes they sell out. We have a blast on this trip, just ask anyone who's gone before. Send me an email if you are interested or for any other info you may need. Hope to see you on board...........Paul and Glenn

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Richard and Claudia Coleman are the leaders of Troop 409 - a troop for Boy Scouts with special needs in Pensacola, Fla. Richard joined the troop in 1987. He had two daughters, so his time with the troop became a "night out with the boys." Claudia was the troop's assistant scoutmaster.

Your photo has been chosen as a winner of the 2009 Trail's End Best Popcorn Pix Contest. Thanks to your Scout's creative photo and use of Trail's End popcorn, he'll be receiving a Nintendo DS-Lite direct from Trail's End Popcorn Company. Scouts entered over 1,400 photos via BestPopcornPix.com and his photo was considered one of the best by a panel of popcorn experts!

Thanks for being a part of this exciting contest and for selling Trail's End Popcorn. Be sure to look for the new packaging next year with some of the winning Scouts' photography. Over 35 winning photos will be featured on the artwork! All 100 winning photos will be posted online at trails-end.com.

For thirty years, L.A.-area Boy Scouts have been convening on Catalina Island for wilderness retreats. Naturally, when it came time to overhaul their Army-style bunkers, the organization wanted to minimize its environmental impact. So they turned to Gensler, which produced the EcoCabin, a cabin-in-a-box solution using shipping containers.

Lowe's Home Improvement Stores are having a workshop each Saturday at the stores where Cub Scouts and their parents or other adult mentors can come and work on the Scouts' Pinewood Derby racer using the store's Dremel tools, etc. free. The workshop at our local store is from 11 AM to 1 PM. If you don't have a Pinewood Derby kit, they carry the Dremel Pinewood Derby Truck Kit for $19.97.

There are helpful craftsmen at Lowe's who are willing to give pointers on using their tools and seem to be very supportive of Scouting in general.

Again this year the Scouts will be placing flags on the graves at the
Los Angeles National Cemetery in West Los Angeles
950 South Sepulveda Blvd.

Parking will be in the Veterans Administration facilities through the tunnel on Constitution Avenue as it was last year.

We will start at 8:00 am; you must be there by 7:30 am in order to get signed in and receive your location map. Sign in starts at 7:00 am.

Do not remove any of these flags from the cemetery grounds.

All Scouts and adults must be in full Class A uniform, including hats.

Leaders are expected to explain to their Scouts the reason for the Memorial Day ceremony. The Scouts must be made aware of appropriate behavior while at the cemetery. Do not let the Scouts make any unnecessary noise or run around while in the cemetery.

Do not bring any food onto the cemetery grounds.

Each troop or pack should bring their unit flags with them, as they will be displayed in front of the assembly facing the stage during the presentations.

In an effort to show reverence and respect to our fallen heroes, as well as to conduct ourselves in a manner befitting the Scouting organizations we serve, the following rules and guidelines are to be observed by all who participate:

Adults and senior Scouts should instruct any of the youth for whom they are responsible as to the rules and guidelines, and should be aware of and correct any misbehavior that may occur.

Participants should walk, not run in or around the cemetery grounds.

Participants should be respectful of the cemetery, its staff, and other Scouts.

Do not climb, sit or stand in or on trees, poles, monuments and/or the cannon.

Quiet service is a worthwhile goal; there should be no unnecessary noise.

Food should not be brought onto the cemetery grounds. Bottled water is the only refreshment allowed. There should be no coolers, coffee, donuts, etc.

The Cemetery is not a park or playground. Balls, Frisbees, AirSoft guns, handheld computer games, music devices and other electronics are prohibited.

Flowers should be respected and not picked. Do not throw anything.

Pets or animals are not to be brought onto the cemetery grounds (with the exception of a seeing-eye dog or other assistant to humans).

Respect the flags you will be given. Treat them with great care. Protect them and keep them in the cemetery.

Please assign one or two Scouts or an adult leader from your unit to pick up flags at a flagbox nearest to your assigned area. You will be issued 1 or 2 bundles per person participating with your unit.

Distribution of the flags will be done in an organized and orderly manner; please respect the Scouts and Cadets who will be issuing the flags. There should be no fighting for nor hoarding of the flags.

This is neither a race nor a contest. Please walk slowly and deliberately from grave marker to grave marker.

When you are ready to place the flag, address the grave marker, read the name(s) of the person(s) buried there, and place the flag directly in front of the grave marker so that the flag is between you and the grave marker.

The flag should be placed 2 inches firmly into the ground and 1 foot in front of the grave marker, taking care that the flag stands straight and true.

Only one flag should be placed at each grave marker, regardless of how many names are on the grave marker.

Once the flag has been placed, stand up, observe a moment of silence, and salute.

Once your area has been completed, please report back to the sign in area so that you can be checked out and receive further instructions.

Monday, February 1, 2010

I want to make everyone in our Council aware of an opportunity to attend Wood Badge for the 21st Century in 2010. Our neighbors in the Los Angeles Area Council are offering a course May 6-8 and June 10-12, 2010 (Thursday-Saturday), as well as another later in the year August 20-22 and September 18-20, 2010.

Wood Badge is a wonderful leadership training program that will have a positive impact on the boys you serve and the adults you interact with. I will be serving on the staff of the May/June course and am happy to answer any questions you may have. If you are interested in attending this course, please contact me at Eric.Miele@gmail.com or the Course Director, Lincoln Hyde, at Lincoln@pacbell.net